C R  DIEV ET MON DROIT HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE  royal blazon or coat of arms  
At the Court at WHITE HALL., January 2. 167●/2  
PRESENT, 

The Kings Most Excellent Majesty.  
His Royal Highness the Duke of York.  
His Highness' Prince Rupert.  
Lord Archbishop of Canterbury.  
Duke of Buckingham.  
Duke of Ormond.  
Earl of Ossery.  
Lord Chamberlain.  
Earl of Bridgewater.  
Earl of Sandwich.  
Earl of Anglesey.  
Earl of Carlisle.  
Earl of Craven.  
Earl of Lauderdale.  
Lord Newport.  
Lord Ashley.  
Mr. Treasurer.  
Mr. Vice-Chamberlain.  
Mr. Secretary Trevor.  
Master of the Ordnance.  
Mr. Montague.    
HIs Majesty, having this day Ordered the Lords, and others of His Privy Council to attend him in Council, is pleased to declare, That seeing all the Princes, and States, His Neighbours, were making great preparations for War, both by Sea and Land, His Majesty, for the safety of his Government and People, looked upon Himself as obliged to make such Preparations as might be proportionable for the Protection both of the one and the other; And to that end he has already given Orders for the fitting and preparing a very considerable Fleet, to be ready against the Spring.  
By this inevitable necessity, His Majesty considering the great Charges that must attend such Preparations, and after His serious debates and best considerations, not finding any possibility to defray such unusual Expenses by the usual ways and means of borrowing Moneys, by reason His Revenues were so anticipated and engaged, He was necessitated (contrary to His own inclinations) upon these emergencies, and for the Public Safety, at the present, to cause a Stop to be made of the payment of any Moneys, now being, or to be brought into His Exchequer, for the space of one whole Year, ending the last day of December next, unto any person or persons whatsoever, by virtue of any Warrant, Securities, or Orders, whether Registered or not Registered therein, and payable within that time; Excepting only such payments as shall grow due upon Orders on the Subsidy, according to the Act of Parliament, and Orders and Securities upon the Fee-Farm Rents, both which are to be proceeded upon as if this Stop had never been made.  
And that His Majesty's Pleasure and Declaration may be speedily and effectually put in Execution, His Majesty doth Order, and doth hereby require and command Sir Heneage Finch Knight and Baronet, His Attorney General, forthwith to prepare a Bill for His Royal Signature, and so to pass the Great Seal, thereby requiring and commanding the Lords Commissioners of His Treasury, immediately to order and direct all and every the Officers of His Majesty's Exchequer, to Post-pone all Warrants and Orders, whether Registered or not Registered, and other Securities and Payments whatsoever, (except as before excepted) until the last day of December next.  
And in the mean time, the Lords Commissioners of His Treasury to be Required and Authorized, to cause payment to be made of the Interest that is or shall grow due, at the rate of Six pounds per Cent. unto every person that shall have Money due to him or them upon such Warrants, Orders, or Securities, so Postponed and deferred; and that the payment of such Interest may be justly made, the Lords Commissioners of His Treasury are to be Authorized and Required, to cause the Debt of every particular person, and the said Interest thereof, to be truly stated.  
And the Lords of His Majesty's Treasury are farther to be Ordered and Required, to employ and dispose of all the said Moneys, so stopped and detained, for the preparing, setting forth, and payment of His Majesty's Fleet, and other Public Services, in order to the preservation and safety of His Majesty's Government, and defence of His People, as His Majesty shall from time to time Order and Direct.  
And His Majesty, as far as in him lies, to take away all apprehensions or terror, that might possess any of His Subjects spirits, doth declare, That no person whatsoever shall be defrauded of any thing that is justly due to him, nor shall this restraint, which His Majesty has been compelled (not being able for the present to find any other expedient) to lay upon such moneys, as are or shall be paid into His Exchequer, continue longer than the aforesaid last day of December: and that then no new Warrants, Orders or Securities shall intervene, to break the course of such Payments.  
And His Majesty is graciously pleased farther to declare, That nothing could have urged His Majesty to an Act of this Nature, but such a conjuncture of Affairs, when all the Neighbouring Princes and States were making such Threatening preparations, that His government could not be safe without appearing in the same posture.  
EDW: WALKER.   

In the SAVOY, Printed by the Assigns of John Bill, and Christopher Barker, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty, 1671 1671/2 2